The Vampire Slayer Diaries

Tabula Rasa

"So everything's good with Spike now?" Buffy asked.

We were patrolling the town by our normal route, in the woods nearing the cemetery. The air was misty but to me it felt perfect. This was the first patrol we've had together in a long time. 

"I think so" I told her, looking around, keeping my eyes and ears opened. "I think I finally understand what Grandma meant about a bond no one can break."

"And your going to 'mark' him?" She asked sounding it out. "Explain that one again?"

"Well it's a big deal for one thing." I told her quietly. "In my family it means something deep, it opens doors for us. Usually it's done on the wedding night and it's the final piece of the mating bond, once it's done, our bond will be twice as strong. Among a lot of things it'll tell other vampires that Spike belongs to me, as a rule a vampire can never touch another's mate without permission, I'll be able to feel his emotions and pain." 

"Don't you already do that?"

"Yes, but it'll be twice as bad I could die from it." I added seeing her frown. "I'll be able to locate him if I really need to and say that he does something unfaithful I'll know."

"Seriously?" Buffy asked making me nod.

"One time way before I was even thought of my father lost his memory and he did something with a stupid mind reader, my mother nearly bled to death by the time she made it to my grandparents."

"What happened to your mother?"

"She survived obviously, Dad got his memory back and he wasn't very happy with the mind reader and my grandma herself put the woman in place. From what Mom said it was pretty scary seeing grandma nearly going wolf on her...but for us finding our mates is pretty special. It's a once in a lifetime love, not all vampires or creatures find their other half, most of them die before they get a chance to meet." 

"I've said it before but this is kinda amazing." Buffy said grinning lightly, making me smile at her. "I wish I had a soul mate."

"My grandma always believed there was someone for everyone." I told her smiling at the thought of my grandmother. I gave her a gentler smile "I have no intentions of marking Spike, it's not something we can just rush into and I'm still figuring all this out... We're nowhere near ready for that step." 

Buffy opened her mouth probably to ask me another question when I sensed someone in the shadows, coming up behind us rather fast, the footsteps were between light and heavy, but I couldn't tell who it was, their breathing was very heavy. My head snapped into a focused direction. 

I whirled around, dagger ready to strike when I caught the bleach scent and stopped myself mid swing coming face to face with Spike, my blade aimed at the center of his eyes.

"Herregud!" (oh my god) I snapped running a hand through my hair in anger. "Spike! what the hell?!"

Buffy's head turned, her eyes going wide, I sighed calming down. 

"You know it's kinda hot when you do that." Spike told me smiling. "How do you do that anyway?....just start yelling in Swedish?"

"How many times do I have to tell you don't sneak up on me." I told him ignoring his remarks, rolling my eyes and pulled my dagger away, putting it back in it's holder. "I swear I should take Xander's advice and put a bell around your neck." 

"Can we talk?" Spike asked smiling with amusement. 

We looked over at Buffy who was just standing there. She looked back at us, glancing between us. 

"You go ahead call it a night." Buffy told me clearing her throat. "I'll finish the patrol and meet you tomorrow."

She gave me a hidden smirk and walked away. I raised an eyebrow watching her, I turned back to Spike, he looked at me a little shy, as if waiting for permission, I gave him a look.